A sobering story, indeed: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/22/arts/design/rare-coin-returned-greece-eid-mar.html https://www.cnn.com/style/amp/new-york-repatriation-greece-gold-coin/index.html
Sad. I'm not usually a fan of the repatriation game, but obviously in cases of clear looting/smuggling it is to be expected.
This nonsence (looting) has been going on since the beginning of time.... First paragraph from the Times article states that the coin was looted from a field. How do you do that? I'm walking along this field and I see a coin lying on the ground, and I pick it up. Am I looting? Or was the so called area that the coin was allegedly found a 'protected' area?
I get your point and I agree. Not sure about the area, these looters will go into archeology sites and detect. In that case I would say it is theft. Here in Denver there are laws, Such as Wheatridge, everything in the ground is the city's. No metal detecting, no panning for gold etc.
That's why I don't do those things in Denver. I stay away from that God forsaken place as much as possible. Heaven forbid you dig a little hole on public property, but you want free needles and a safe place to use them? Denver has you covered there. If I ever find anything in Colorado, or anywhere for that matter, I will not tell soul about it.
There are only a couple of city's that have those laws, Wheatridge being the worst. I have had the cops called on me a few times. It can be iffy, the cops just tell the "whiner" that I haven't broke any laws. Holes plugged and no damage. I got run out of a neighborhood by Gangbangers. Long story.
Sounds dumb. As long as there is no damages to property, detectorists should be welcome. Here in Maine, municipal parks are fair game as long as you don't "molest the ground" which is vague, but I respect it anyway.
We have former members who may very well have some of these 'stolen' antiquities. Maybe someone should make a call to the DA.
You are 100 percent right/ I guess when governments do it/ its OK. Look at the stuff looted by Napoleon from Italy/ by Russians before/ during/ after WW2. Most of the artwork/ coins/ jewels in Hermitage museum were stolen by Soviet Red Army. Wonder how much of the Louvres art coll. is looted
Yep, it's a dangerous game to play. How far back are we willing to go? What timeframe was everything "rightfully owned" and how do we get them back in the hands of the "rightful owner" after hundreds of years?
True/ I feel sorry for the winning bidder/ wonder if he gets his full $$$ back. Spain should be going after the United Kingdom for all the gold/ silver English/ British Privateers/ Royal Naval units plundered from time of Elizabeth I to George III/ esp. under the latter and Queen Anne.
Yeah/ Russia would have to give back 90 percent of her land mass/ all taken by military invasions/ and they are still at it